Celebrate the Children students Keir and Jeff participate in an after school program that gives them an opportunity to chat via Facilitated Communication. After brain storming ideas of how they would like the group to be formatted, they decided they would like to answer questions from the CTC community (and beyond!). Some of their thoughts include:

Jeff: thoughts from our point of view will be food for thought of something profound Keir: questions from unknowing staff will be the greatest way to teach Jeff: what to write is what the readers want Keir: please get this message to the people of ctc

KEIR's INPUT ABOUT THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS HE LIKES:

I like questions that are expansive in thinking not questions that are easily answered. Maybe questions that could have many possible answers.questions that force people to look beyond surface beliefs that they talk about without thinking.

The first round of questions…

Question: What is your advice for students and staff who struggle with FC?KEIR

I would say that if you are struggling with fc be patient and understanding it takes a long time to learn. Many people think typing with a new facilitator should be easy but it is one of the hardest things i have ever had to do. It is like learning something as difficult as asking a girl out i dont think i will evr figure that out but i imagine it would be hard to learn for most people not just me. So you understand it takes time and ptience but is worth every minute you give for practice to us who depend on your perserverence to help us communicate. If you give up we have no hope. Please keep trying it is important for us.critical too or we have no place to be heard. Thank you for being our greatest support even when it is hard. Quit complaining because it is not woking it will work but we need to practice together. Being a nonverbal student leaves us at your mercy please remember that and be strong for us. Thank you.

JEFF FC is such a popular topic. Here are some tips I have First, FC is the most challenging and rewarding gift to child with no voice. It is exhausting so allow breaks for those starting off. Use the ladder of communication moving up and down as needed. Practice whenever you can and use the students passions as motivating topics. As for staff, patience is key. Our brains think fast but bodies slow. Also staff overthink everything so r e l a x. There will always be skeptics for everything but as long as you know the truth we prevail. Typing allows us to show intelligence where others thought there was none.

Question: I once heard a person on the radio say that they felt that humans abuse the earth, other humans and animals, because they "fear pain"... Any comments?KEIR humans are fearful by nature. We are fearful of things we dont understand i think people act out in fear to protect themselves not from just pain but from ridicule. Being mean and degrading is easier than being open to ideas that oppose your beliefs. They find it easier to dismiss the blatant truth than to accept that they may be wrong. It is easier to harm things that have no defense so that they may feel superior and revered by their peers. What it shows is their weakness and unaccepting attitudes towrds things and people they feel are inferior. I feel sorrow for them they need our compassion to help them learn to approach life with love not fear or hate i want this message to be spread through the world but i will start with ctc. And want people to honestly look at their approach to life. Decide if you choose fear or love. You might be surprised if you are truthful to yourself. Think more about helping yourself with this because it will help your approach to all living things including us. I am thakfful for your questions and hope you send more. My mind is full of things to share if you just ask.JEFF People fear the unknown so the fact that we do not fully understand animals or other humans thoughts or actions is a huge concern for the people of the world we live in. People want control so no control of any situation is an uncomfortable place to be but we need to remember we can all coexist harmoniously or we wouldn't have been put In the same place at the same time. Learning about things you don't understand will eliminate fear. Knowledge is power.

Please note the answers to the questions have been typed by the students and have not been altered, edited or reformatted in anyway. These are their genuine thoughts and responses. If you would like to ask a question, please post to our Facebook page or send an email to jhammond@celebratethechildren.org.